Basket-ball backstop apparatus



.31,1940. E. F. HOPPES Em. 2 227 31 BASKET- BALL BACKSTOP APPARATUS Filed May 23, 1939 3 Sheets-Sheet 1 E. F. HOPPES E 2,227,310

BASKET-BALL BACKSTOP APPARATUS Dec. 31, 1940.

Filed May 25, 1939 3 Sheets-Sheet 2- Dec. 31, 1940. E. F. HOPPES ETAL BAsK1 :'r-BALL BACKSTOP APPARATUS Filed May 23, 1959 3 Sheets-Sheet 3 Patented Dec. 31, 1940 UNITED STATES BASKET-BALL eAcKs'ror APPARATUS Edwin F. Hoppes, Fred 0. Garratt, J r., and Walter B. Evans, Springfield, Ohio, assignors to The Everwear Manufacturing Company, Springfield, Ohio, a corporation of Ohio Application May 23, 1939, Serial No. 275,228

19 Claims.

This invention relates to backstops forbasketball games, it more particularly relating to a portable backstop and also one which can be compactly folded for storage purposes.

One of the objects of the invention is to provide a support for the backstop and the basket which will be free from braces and supports except at a height above the heads of the players so as to obviate any danger of the players coming in contact therewith.

A further object of the invention is to provide an improved form of supporting base such that all parts of the supporting frame are removed from the sides of the device so as to further reduce the danger of injury to the players.

A further object of the invention is to provide improved means for bracing and supporting the backstop when the supporting frame is opened up for playing purposes; a further and more.

specific object of the invention in this connection being to provide means whereby the strains of bracing the backstop are transmitted to a common central point at the rear of the supporting base.

In the accompanying drawings:

Fig. l is a perspective View of a backstop and its support in fully folded position.

Fig. 2 is a perspective view of a backstop and its support in partly folded position.

Fig. 3 is a front elevation of the apparatus in open position with the pad shown in Figs. 1 and 2 removed to better illustrate the parts.

Fig. 4 is a side elevation of the apparatus in open position also with the pad removed.

Fig. 5 is a top plan view of the supporting base with most of the supporting parts connected therewith removed.

Fig. 6 is a detail of one of the connections for the supporting base for the floor.

Fig. 7 is a detail of the caster wheel.

Referring to the drawings, the base is of triangular form consisting of two side members I and 2, a front cross member 3 connected with the side members in the manner to be later described, an intermediate cross member 4 bolted to the side members, a second intermediate cross member 5 bolted to the side members I and 2 and a rear cross member 6 also bolted to the side members and 2. The cross members 5 and 6 are connected for strengthening purposes by a pair of short bars I and 8, these bars I and 8 being bolted to the cross members 5 and 6.

The front cross member 3 is also connected with the side members I and 2 by angle plates 9 and Ill.

The base for transportation purposes is supported by three wheels, two front wheels H and I2 and a rear wheel I3. The front wheels are rotatably mounted in yokes I4 and I5 which are bolted to the side members I and 2, While the rear wheel [3 is in the nature of a caster wheel. This rear wheel I3 is rotatably mounted in a fork [6 which is swivelly connected with a plate I! which plate I! is bolted to the frame members I and 8. dotted lines in Fig. 7 which enters an opening in the plate I7. When the apparatus is to be installed for playing purposes, however, it is supported upon four angle plates 19 each of which .may be connected to the frame members I and 2 by bolts 20, the supporting members l9 being of sufficient height to raise the base from the wheels.

A wing nut 2| extending through a slotted opening 22 in the vertical member of each angle plate and having a threaded connection with the side member I or 2 provides for raising the angle members 9 out of the way above the floor level when the apparatus is to be transported on the wheels, the bolts 29 at that time being removed.

The horizontal member of each angle plate I9 is connected to a suitable place provided on the floor for playing purposes by a screw 23.

The backboard which is indicated at 24 and carries the usual basket 25 is supported from the base just described in the following manner: A pair of front uprights are indicated at 2% and 2?. The lower end of each of these uprights is pivotally connected to the base and to that end The part I6 has a stem I8 shown in i I each upright has a hinge plate 28 which is bolted and the cross member 3. This arrangement also i serves to connect the cross member 3 with the side members I and 2. The uprights 26 and 21 are rigidly connected together by an intermediate cross bar 32 bolted thereto through the medium of suitable castings 33 and also a top cross bar 33 which is also connected to the respective uprights 26 and 2'! by suitable castings 35. The backstop 24 is supported in these uprights by four pivoted arms 38, 31, 38 and 39 which are curved upwardly and outwardly from their pivoted connection with the uprights to the point where they are connected with the backstop so that these arms, particularly arms 31 and 3%, are for the major part of the lengths considerably below the point where the arms are connected to the backstop thus materially shortets 45 as shown best in Fig. 1.

ening the length of the upright or standard 26. The forward ends of each of the arms is hingedly connected as at to blocks 4i and 42, the blocks 4| being shallower than the blocks 42. The rear end of each of these arms is pivotally connected as at 43 to the uprights 26 and 21, the uprights being provided with the short brackets 44 and 45, the brackets 44 being longer than the brack- By having the blocks 4| and 42 of different thicknesses and the brackets 44 and 45 of different lengths permits the supporting arms 36 and 31 to fold in parallel relation when the apparatus is folded as shown in Fig. 1.

The uprights 26 and 27 are braced in the following manner: A pair of long braces 46 and 41 are pivotally connected respectively to the uprights 26 and 2'! and the lower ends of these braces 46 and 47 are pivotally connected by removable bolts 48' to short arms 46 on two tubular upright members 49 and 56. These uprights 49 and 56 are bolted to an angular plate 5| by the bolt 52 and this plate in turn is bolted to the cross member 5 by the bolt 53. Braces 54 are bolted tothe respective uprights 49 and 56 at their upper ends and also bolted to the members 7 and 8 previously described as connecting the cross members 5 and 6. Brace members 55 and 56 pivotally connect the uprights 26 and 21 with the braces 46 and 47. The upper end of each of these braces 55 and 56 is pivoted to a short arm 5'! at an intermediate point on a corresponding upright 26 and 27 and also pivotally connected by a removable bolt 55' at the other end to a short arm 58 secured to the corresponding brace 46 or 4'! near its lower end.

By this bracing arrangement the connection of the lower arms 31 with the backboard and with the uprights and the connection of the braces and 56 with the uprights and the braces 46, and the connections of the braces 46 and 41 with the upright supports 49 and 56 are substantially in a straight line with the rear end of the triangular base so that all the weight and vibration is transmitted to a common point on the base.

Near the rear end of the base there is a bucket 59 which is filled with concrete 60 to act as a counterbalance to prevent the rear end of the base from tilting up more particularly when the apparatus is being transported on the wheels in unfolded position.

In playing position the backstop is supported by a pair of two-part rods, the parts of each of which are indicated at 6| and 62 connected by a turn-buckle 63. The forward end of the part 6! of each of the rods is pivotally connected to an arm 31 or 39 as the case may be by a removable bolt 64 and the rear end of the part 62 is pivotally connected to a bracket 65 on the upper end of a corresponding standard 26 or 21. As an additional safeguard chains 66 are also provided, the forward end of each of which is hooked to the forward end of the arm 31 or 39 and the rear end of which is hooked to the bracket 44 on the corresponding upright.

It will be seen that these rods 6! and 62 form with the corresponding arms 3'! and 39 a short side of a triangle so that the strain of supporting the backstop is in the direction of the length arms 36, 31, 38 and 39 together with the backstop, as well as the arms 6|, 62 and the chains may be dropped to the position shown in Fig. 2. The bolts 55 are then removed permitting the braces 55 to drop parallel with the standard 26 and the bolts 48' removed to permit the braces 46 and 41 to also drop parallel with the standards, the rods 67, one of which is shown in Fig. 4 and which will be later described, having been first removed. The entire structure is then folded back to the position shown in Fig. 1, the structure pivoting about the bolts 30 at the lower ends of the standards 26 and 21.

After the apparatus has been thus folded the base is let down on the supporting wheels ll, l2 and I3 by unloosening the thumb nut 24 and removing the screws 23 and bolt 26 so that the supporting feet I9 can be raised, the thumb nut being then tightened to hold the feet in raised position.

To prevent injury to the players a pad 68 is provided, this pad being shown in Figs. 1 and 2 but being removed in the other figures. The pad is supported on wire lacings as shown in Fig. 3. This wire lacing consists of a series of wires 69 Which are attached to angle irons 10, which angle irons are connected in any suitable manner with the uprights 26 and 21. The pads furnished with the apparatus are of the width shown in Fig. 2 and are placed against the wire supports and tied in any suitable way to the uprights 26 and 21. In some cases where it is desired to use a wide pad which will extend partly about the sides of the apparatus the rods 61 are employed which are removably attached in any suitable way to the braces 46 and 41 and to the sides I and 2 of the base.

Having thus described the invention it is claimed:

1. In a basket-ball backstop apparatus, a base, a pair of uprights pivotally connected at their lower ends to the forward end of said base, pivoted means for bracing said uprights from said base, a backstop, a pair of curve-shaped arms pivotally connecting said backstop with the upper ends of said uprights, another pair of curveshaped arms pivotally connecting said backstop with the intermediate parts of said uprights, and supporting rods pivotally connecting the lower pairs of arms with said uprights to sustain the backstop in playing position, a part of said pivotal connections being detachable to permit folding of said braces, arms and uprights.

2. In a basket-ball backstop apparatus, a base, a pair of uprights pivotally connected at their lower end to the forward end of said base, pivoted means for bracing said uprightsfrom said base, a backstop, a pair of curve-shaped upper arms and a pair of curve-shaped lower arms for pivotally connecting said backstop with the upper ends of said uprights, the pivotal connections for said arms comprising brackets connected with said uprights and backstop respectively, the brackets for the upper pair of arms being relatively longer than the brackets for the lower pair of arms, and tension devices connected respectively with the upper ends of the uprights and with the lower arms for supporting said backstop in playing position.

3. In a basket-ball backstop apparatus, a base, a pair of uprights pivotally connected at their lower end to the forward end of said base, pivoted means for bracing said uprights from said base, a backstop, a pair of curve-shaped upper arms and a pair of curve-shaped lower arms for pivotally connecting said backstop with the upper ends of said uprights, the pivotal connections for the inner ends of the upper pair of arms being farther removed from the uprights than the pivotal connections for the outer ends of said arms with reference to the backstop and the pivotal connections for the inner ends of the lower pair of arms being closer to the uprights than are the pivotal connections for the outer ends of the lower pair of arms with reference to the backstop, and tension devices connected respectively with the upper ends of the uprights and with the lower arms for supporting said backstop in playing position, said tension means consisting of tension rods connecting respectively with the uprights and with the forward ends of said lower arms.

4. In a basket-ball backstop apparatus, a base, a pair of uprights pivotally connected at their lower end to the forward end of said base, pivoted means for bracing said uprights from said base, a backstop, a pair of curve-shaped upper arms and a pair of curve-shaped lower arms for pivotally connecting said backstop with the upper ends of said uprights, the pivotal connections for the inner ends of the upper pair of arms being farther removed from the uprights than the pivotal connections for the outer ends of said arms with reference to the backstop and the pivotal connections for the inner ends of the lower pair of arms being closer to the uprights than are the pivotal connections for the outer ends of the lower pair of arms with reference to the backstop, and tension devices connected respectively with the upper ends of the uprights and with the lower arms for supporting said backstop in playing position, said tension means consisting of tension rods connecting respectively with the uprights and with the forward ends of said lower arms, said tension means also including releasable chains connected respectively to the forward ends of the lower arms and to the upper ends of said uprights.

5. In a basket-ball backstop apparatus, a base, a pair of uprights pivotally connected at their lower ends to the forward ends of said base and two pairs of curved-shaped arms pivotally connected to said backstop and to said uprights and with the lower pair of arms for supporting said backstop in playing position, an upright support at the rear end of said base, main braces pivotally connected respectively with the upper ends of said uprights and with said upright support, supplemental braces pivotally connected with said uprights and with said main braces, said upright support being centrally positioned in a transverse direction with respectto said base, the pivotal connection of said arms with said uprights, said supplemental braces with said main braces and said main braces with said upright support leading respectively on each side of the apparatus in a substantially straight line to said upright support.

6. In a basket-ball backstop apparatus of the type described comprising a base and supports extending vertically above said base, a backstop pivotally connected to and supported by the vertical arms by means of arms extending from the upper and lower portions of said backstop to said supports, the lower of said arms being curved upwardly and outwardly from said upright supports so that the major portion of said supporting arms are coincident with or above the lower edge of the backstop.

7. In a. basket-ball backstop apparatus, a base, a pair of uprights carried by said base, a backstop, a pair of curved arms pivotally connecting said backstop with the upper ends of said uprights, another pair of curved arms pivotally connecting said backstop with the intermediate parts of said uprights, and supporting members for connecting the outer ends of said lower pair of arms with said uprights to sustain the backstop in playing position, one end of each supporting member being detachable from its associated part to permit folding of said backstop against said uprights.

8. In a basket-ball backstop apparatus, a base, a pair of uprights supported by said base, a backstop, a pair of curved upper arms and a pair of curved lower arms for pivotally connecting said backstop with said uprights, and tension devices connected respectively with the upper ends of the uprights and with the outer ends of the lower arms for supporting said backstop in playing position, one end of each of said tension devices being detachable to permit folding of the backstop against the uprights.

9. In a basket-ball backstop apparatus, a base, a pair of uprights supported by said base, a backstop, a pair of curved upper arms extending upwardly and forwardly and a pair of curved lower arms extending upwardly and forwardly for pivotally connecting said backstop with said uprights, the pivotal connections for the inner ends of the upper pair of arms being farther removed from the uprights than the pivotal connections for the outer ends of said arms with reference to the backstop and the pivotal connections for the inner ends of the lower pair of arms being closer to the uprights than are the pivotal connections for the outer ends of the lower pair of arms with reference to the backstop, and tension devices connected respectively with the upper portions of the uprights and the outer ends of the lower arms for supporting said backstop in playing position, one end of each of said tension devices being detachable from its associated part to permit folding of the backstop against said uprights.

10. In a basket-ball backstop apparatus, a base, a pair of uprights supported by said base, a backstop, a pair of curved upper arms extending upwardly and forwardly and a pair of curved lower arms extending upwardly and forwardly for pivotally connecting said backstop with said uprights, the pivotal connections for the inner ends of the upper pair of arms being farther removed from the uprights than the pivotal connections for the outer ends of said arms with reference to the backstop and the pivotal connections for the inner ends of the lower pair of arms being closer to the uprights than are the pivotal connections for the outer ends of the lower pair of arms with reference to the backstop, tension devices connected respectively with the upper portions of the uprights and the outer ends of the lower arms for supporting said backstop in playing position, one end of each of said tension devices being detachable from its associated part to permit folding of the backstop against said uprights, and releasable chains also connected respectively to the forward ends of the lower arms and to the upper ends of said uprights.

EDWIN F, HOPPES.- FRED C. GARRATT, JR. WALTER B. EVANS. 

